Christmas bonus for Universal Credit claimants on other benefits

BRITS are set for a boost to their benefits at Christmas with an extra £10.

The welfare bonus will be paid to eligible people already on a form of benefits in December.

People on a range of benefits could see an extra £10 slipped into their account this ChristmasCredit: Getty – Contributor

It is a tax-free one-off payment – so if you are on Universal Credit for example, it won’t increase your income during a later assessment.

You shouldn’t need to make any extra claims for the Christmas Bonus, it should get to you automatically if you are eligible.

But if you are on Universal Credit you won’t automatically get the extra money, it is only if you also receive another benefit, including carer’s allowance and pensions credit.

The Government website says: “To get a Christmas Bonus you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week.

“You must also get at least one of the following benefits in the ‘qualifying week’ – this is normally the first full week of December:

“If you haven’t claimed your State Pension and aren’t entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you won’t get a Christmas Bonus.”

Which benefits mean you should get the £10?

Armed Forces Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
Carer’s Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
Disability Living Allowance
Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
Mobility Supplement
Pension Credit – the guarantee element
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
War Widow’s Pension
Widowed Mother’s Allowance
Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Widow’s Pension

There are three bank holidays between Christmas and New Year which may affect what day you receive your payment.

It’s likely that you’ll receive your benefits a day early but that means you’ll have to make it last a bit longer than normal, which is why it’s important to budget.

You don’t have to do anything if you think that your payment is affected as the date will automatically change.

But iff you don’t receive your benefit when you think that you should have, you should call the relevant helplines before Christmas Day.

This is because they will be closed on the bank holidays and you’ll have to wait until December 28 to get through to someone for help.